Climate Controlled Mushroom Grow Box: Things You May Want to Know

Enoki is a delicious edible mushroom and a healthy food that is rich in protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Bottle cultivation of enoki is the main method of factory-based and automated production.

As a leading manufacturer of edible fungus growing equipment in the industry, Henan Joconn has always focused on providing high-quality equipment and excellent services to global customers. Our factory is located in an industrial park with a beautiful environment, covering a large area and well-planned.

Usage and Maintenance of Edible Mushroom Production Line Equipment
With the rapid development of large-scale edible mushroom cultivation, various types of machinery, such as sealing machines, bagging machines, sterilization cabinets, eco-friendly boilers, and automated production lines, have significantly enhanced production efficiency and reduced labor intensity. Edible mushroom production line equipment is particularly effective for quick mixing, feeding, and distribution of raw materials, enabling users to complete production tasks efficiently. Proper usage and regular maintenance are crucial for ensuring optimal equipment performance and prolonging its service life. The following provides detailed guidelines on operational precautions, handling abnormal shutdowns, and daily maintenance.


I. Operational Precautions
Pre-Startup Inspections

Ensure the mixing tank is free of residue; if leftover material exists, its thickness must not exceed 0.3 meters. Do not start the machine with a full load.
Confirm that the discharge outlets of the mixing tank and distributor are closed to avoid clogging the feed inlet of the elevator.


Startup and Operation Steps

Follow the correct startup sequence: Mixing Tank → Elevator → Distributor.
After starting the machine, check its operation for abnormalities before beginning to load materials.
During loading, ensure the materials in the mixing tank do not exceed 2/3 of the tank’s capacity.
Open the mixing tank’s discharge outlet only after the elevator is running smoothly.
The distributor’s discharge speed should be adjusted by the bagging machine operator according to its feeding rate.
When shutting down, stop feeding first. Once the distributor has stopped discharging, shut down the equipment in the following sequence: Mixing Tank → Elevator → Distributor.


Emergency Shutdown Procedures

In case of an emergency shutdown, always turn off the equipment in the proper shutdown sequence.
Follow the same order for restarting: start the machine first before adding materials.


Recommended Startup and Shutdown Sequences

Startup Sequence: Primary Mixing Tank → Primary Elevator → Secondary Mixing Tank → Secondary Elevator → Distributor.
Shutdown Sequence: Distributor → Elevator → Mixing Tank.


II. Handling Abnormal Shutdowns
Mixing Tank Shutdown

Stop feeding immediately. Check if the motor is overheating or if the chain has fallen off. Resume operations only after ensuring everything is in order.
Ensure the tank’s contents do not exceed 1/3 of its volume. Never restart with a full load.


Elevator Shutdown

Stop feeding and check for damage to the motor or belts. Restart only after confirming no issues.
Avoid restarting the elevator under a full load.


Power Failure Shutdown for the Entire Line

First, test the distributor, followed by the elevator.
Remove any residual materials from the mixing tank and follow the mixing tank abnormal shutdown procedures.
Resume feeding only after all equipment is operating normally.


III. Maintenance and Care Guidelines
Motor and Gearbox

During the first connection, ensure the motor’s rotation direction matches the arrow on the outer casing.
Fill the gearbox with gear oil or 46# anti-wear hydraulic oil, ensuring the oil level does not exceed 2/3 of the transparent window. Check oil levels every 20 days.


Bearings and Lubrication

Add grease to the bearing housing until it slightly overflows the sealing ring. Check every three days.
Regularly inspect bearings, chains, motors, and gearboxes for abnormalities, listen for unusual sounds in the auger, and check for loose screws.


Long-Term Downtime and Reuse

Before long-term storage, clean out any residual material and ensure the equipment is free of water accumulation.
When resuming use, perform an empty machine test run to confirm proper functioning.
Before starting, ensure the gearbox has adequate oil and that the bearings are greased.


Prohibited Practices

Never start the mixing tank with a full load. Always start the equipment before adding materials.


Conclusion

Proper usage and maintenance not only enhance the efficiency of edible mushroom production line equipment but also extend its service life. Adopting a well-planned maintenance schedule and promptly addressing equipment issues are key to ensuring stable and efficient operation, providing a foundation for safe and productive mushroom cultivation.

1. Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Techniques
Preventive Measures (If your area has already been affected by a storm, skip this section):


Monitor weather updates closely and prepare essential supplies such as drinking water, food, medicines, and daily necessities to ensure personal and property safety.
Before the storm arrives, inspect and reinforce mushroom sheds, clear surrounding drainage ditches, and ensure smooth drainage to prevent flooding inside the sheds.
Safeguard materials such as spawn, raw materials, and cultivation bags by moving them to higher ground if necessary to avoid flood damage.
Factory-based mushroom enterprises and spawn production facilities should arrange for on-site personnel to ensure electrical and equipment safety, inspect power lines and transformers, and prepare emergency power supplies, water pumps, and backup lighting.
If the storm coincides with the outdoor fermentation of compost for button mushrooms, cover the compost with plastic sheeting before the rain and ensure proper drainage. Remove the plastic sheeting afterward to prevent anaerobic fermentation.
For high-temperature mushroom varieties, reinforce mushroom sheds and address drainage issues around the area
Ensure proper drainage to prevent mushroom cultivation bags from being soaked and contaminated.


2. Post-Disaster Response


Maintain Hygiene and Control Pests and Diseases

Clear weeds and debris around mushroom farms promptly, disinfect with lime or bleach powder, and manage pests like mushroom flies and contamination using specialized mushroom-safe pest control agents.



Clean Flood-Affected Areas

Drain standing water, remove mud and debris, and relocate submerged or buried cultivation bags to shaded, ventilated areas. Disinfect the premises with lime, chlorine dioxide, or bleach, ensuring thorough drying and pest control before resuming production.






Mushroom Bag Management

Wash submerged or contaminated cultivation bags with clean water, then spray with a lime or bleach solution. Relocate them to dry, ventilated areas for recovery.
For bags that absorbed excessive water, puncture small holes in the plastic to release moisture and improve aeration, promoting mycelial recovery. Conduct ventilation during cooler periods to avoid heat stress.
For severely damaged bags, reconnect broken sections with bamboo skewers, reposition them on racks, and remove any crushed or contaminated bags promptly to prevent cross-infection.



Reprocess Contaminated Spawn Bags

For spawn bags submerged shortly after inoculation, open the bags, sun-dry the substrate, and remix with fresh materials to recreate spawn bags.



Ensure Cultivation Environment Recovery

After cleaning and disinfecting, ensure soil or substrate conditions are restored to optimum levels for further cultivation.



By taking these preventive and responsive measures, mushroom farmers can minimize losses during extreme weather events and ensure the sustainability of their operations.

Piercing for ventilation during the mycelium development phase of shiitake mushrooms helps increase oxygen levels in the substrate, expel waste gases released by the growing mycelium, and accelerate its growth. This shortens the time needed for the mycelium to reach physiological maturity. Correct and reasonable piercing is one of the important measures to ensure high-quality, high-yield shiitake production in autumn and winter bag cultivation.

1. Characteristics of Oxygen DeficiencyMycelium growth slows down. The tips of the mycelium become thinner and uneven. Lumps or nodules may form. These symptoms indicate a lack of oxygen within the substrate bags, and piercing for ventilation becomes necessary.
2. Piercing MethodsFirst Piercing: When the mycelium circle has a diameter of about 10 cm: For bagged cultivation with sleeves, remove the sleeves. For bags without sleeves, pierce 4–6 holes around 2 cm inside the edge of the mycelium circle.
Second Piercing: When the bag is fully colonized by mycelium, typically 40–45 days after inoculation: Pierce on the side opposite the inoculation site. Keep the holes shallow, 1–1.5 cm deep, and create 20–30 holes per bag. This phase involves minor ventilation. Avoid large or deep holes or excessive hole numbers to prevent dehydration, which may hinder lump formation and primordia development.
Third Piercing: 7–10 days before removing the bags: This phase involves major ventilation. Holes should be 2 cm deep, with 40–60 holes distributed across the entire bag.

3. PrecautionsThe number and depth of holes affect oxygen levels, moisture content, and temperature within the substrate. Adjust these based on specific conditions of the substrate and environment. After piercing, reduce the stacking density per unit area. Arrange bags in a triangular (“△”) shape instead of a grid (“井”) to prevent excessive temperature rises, which could overheat and damage the mycelium.
4. Misconceptions About PiercingMany growers mistakenly believe that piercing should only occur after lumps or nodules appear on the substrate bag. However, the best time for piercing is 5–7 days after the mycelium fully colonizes the bag—before lumps form. Lumps usually result from a combination of high temperatures and oxygen deficiency. If lumps have already formed, the mycelium is already oxygen-starved. Piercing at this point can injure the mycelium, increasing the risk of "red water" leakage. To avoid such issues, pierce as soon as lumps begin to form or, ideally, beforehand.
5. Key Considerations for PiercingEnsure Full Mycelium Colonization: Piercing bags not fully colonized by mycelium increases the risk of contamination. Isolate uncolonized bags for separate management.
Prevent Cross-Contamination: Infected bags should be handled separately to avoid spreading contamination during piercing. A single infected bag can affect several others.
Temperature Management Post-Piercing: After piercing, the mycelium becomes more active and generates heat. Maintain temperatures around 25°C, and do not exceed 28°C to prevent overheating or damage to the substrate.

Effective management of temperature before and after piercing is critical to ensure substrate survival and success. Controlling temperature during this period is the key to achieving high survival rates. Once temperature is well-managed, success is within reach.